-Isms: Views on life in rural America

The gift of gratitude. The topic has definitely been on my mind lately, even moreso as the holiday season approaches. I’ll blame TikTok for the latest obsession.

Earlier this month, East Idaho News, a digital news site based in Idaho Falls, began airing Secret Santa segments. An anonymous donor gave $1 million to bless community members who have fallen on hard times.

Recipients come from all walks of life: a 69-year-old widow diagnosed with cancer; a seasonal worker whose tools of the trade were stolen; a terminal cancer patient; a single mom struggling to make ends meet; a retired teacher who...